Weboflife

[weboflife]

Thanks Into Blue, it's good to be back. Been all so occupied with life in general and trying to uphold my sadhana. So glad to see the boards are developing very nicely indeed.

[Katze]

Sometimes it is difficult to balance life in general and upholding one's sadhana. Do you have any suggestions ?

I am glad to hear, you are pleased with the way the boards are developing.  Always nice to know what others are thinking, well, most of the time that is, lol !

[weboflife]

I guess the trick is to place one's spiritual routine as high as possible on the priority list. Now I know it should be the highest, but in real terms this can be counter-productive. A great example that seems to crop up often in my life is to stay longer in nightly meditation or retire for much needed sleep? Experience has taught me that sleep is so critical to balance. If I lose too much sleep then quality of meditation will suffer. I tend to have deeper meditaions in the morning, at present, but this has switched to how things used to be.

 If I'm still around at retirement age (another 20 odd years) then hopefully morning and nightly meditaion can be loooong and deeeeeep...

[Katze]

Thank you for your suggestion ! I can understand your dilema on the meditation vs sleep question. I would probably suggest the sleep, as if you don't get enough sleep, you will probably fall asleep during your meditation. For your morning meditations, if I may ask, are these very early in the morning, like before sunrise ? I have heard that that time, also at noon and midnight are great times for meditation as the vibrations are higher frequency at those times.

[blue nova]

weboflife wrote:
 

and trying to uphold my sadhana.

I guess the trick is to place one's spiritual routine as high as possible on the priority list. Now I know it should be the highest, but in real terms this can be counter-productive.

sadhana is priority on my list also.  #1.  without it....life can be a bit tough..yes ?

i have been 'struggling' with this same issue...i was becoming exhausted...yet,,making such Progress !!    i started falling asleep 1/2 way or so during kriyas....   i figured...this was a Hint...of some sort.

our Spiritual Routines...seem to take a natural course of their own . if It is Needed....if Communion is a bit Dire..then It happens.  no matter where we are...not matter how full tummy is...or outside circumstances...it just Happens.  if we fall asleep....then we fall asleep.  there is much work done by soul and God when the body sleeps.
i have noticed...that when i fall asleep during One on One with God....the meditation continues...   it is done...in or at a deeper Level.

another thing i have learned...do not fret if we happen to miss a routine...it will all Balance Itself.

(((Hugs)))

[weboflife]

Thank you for your suggestion ! I can understand your dilema on the meditation vs sleep question. I would probably suggest the sleep, as if you don't get enough sleep, you will probably fall asleep during your meditation. For your morning meditations, if I may ask, are these very early in the morning, like before sunrise ? I have heard that that time, also at noon and midnight are great times for meditation as the vibrations are higher frequency at those times.

Yes, before sunrise, Into Blue. Lunchtimes are usually out of the equation for me and I could probably count on one hand how many midnights I've seen in the last few years.

[weboflife]

sadhana is priority on my list also.  #1.  without it....life can be a bit tough..yes ?

i have been 'struggling' with this same issue...i was becoming exhausted...yet,,making such Progress !!    i started falling asleep 1/2 way or so during kriyas....   i figured...this was a Hint...of some sort.

our Spiritual Routines...seem to take a natural course of their own . if It is Needed....if Communion is a bit Dire..then It happens.  no matter where we are...not matter how full tummy is...or outside circumstances...it just Happens.  if we fall asleep....then we fall asleep.  there is much work done by soul and God when the body sleeps.
i have noticed...that when i fall asleep during One on One with God....the meditation continues...   it is done...in or at a deeper Level.

another thing i have learned...do not fret if we happen to miss a routine...it will all Balance Itself.

(((Hugs)))

Life is just too tough without our sadhana. I haven't really had too much trouble with falling asleep during meditation, though it has happened on the odd occasion. For me sleep was an issue for years, insomnia, and I've now found how much this disturbs balance since my sleeping patterns have been more healthy.

I think your blessed to have this one on one experience. Awareness of a Presence, on a very deep level, has been fleeting for me at best. Of course there's been the amazing feelings of bliss and joy, unexplainable to anyone really, the bliss that comes with deep kriya practice, but retaining awareness of the Self, beyond ego (self) seems an almighty task?

[blue nova]

pranams weboflife,

it sure is a task.....but certainly worth the hard work !     it does not have to be fleeting.....it can become Reality....

<3 <3 <3

(((Hugs)))

[Jitendra Hydonus]

sadhana is priority on my list also.  #1.  without it....life can be a bit tough..yes ?

i have been 'struggling' with this same issue...i was becoming exhausted...yet,,making such Progress !!    i started falling asleep 1/2 way or so during kriyas....   i figured...this was a Hint...of some sort.

our Spiritual Routines...seem to take a natural course of their own . if It is Needed....if Communion is a bit Dire..then It happens.  no matter where we are...not matter how full tummy is...or outside circumstances...it just Happens.  if we fall asleep....then we fall asleep.  there is much work done by soul and God when the body sleeps.
i have noticed...that when i fall asleep during One on One with God....the meditation continues...   it is done...in or at a deeper Level.

another thing i have learned...do not fret if we happen to miss a routine...it will all Balance Itself.

(((Hugs)))

Life is just too tough without our sadhana. I haven't really had too much trouble with falling asleep during meditation, though it has happened on the odd occasion. For me sleep was an issue for years, insomnia, and I've now found how much this disturbs balance since my sleeping patterns have been more healthy.

I think your blessed to have this one on one experience. Awareness of a Presence, on a very deep level, has been fleeting for me at best. Of course there's been the amazing feelings of bliss and joy, unexplainable to anyone really, the bliss that comes with deep kriya practice, but retaining awareness of the Self, beyond ego (self) seems an almighty task?

Hi Web of life and Blue Nova There is a blessing about having friends who understand your sadhana.
They will tell you or tap you when you fall asleep during practice and being good friends they should. We are advised to keep our eyes somewhat upward to avoid falling asleep. i remember Brother Turyananada telling me that he would meditate standing up if he could not stay awake.

Yes besides sleep during meditation i have also had to grapple with; How does one maintain the after effects of meditation? After years of practice i have seen the oscillations of consciousness level out to help me feel that i have made progress. i am more and more peaceful and less and less restless. But as we practice the presence and occasionally look at the spiritual eye during hours not meditating we must also look at our desires verses our contentment. Desires will always create waves in our consciousness. The more we meditate the more we become content with what we are. We must also find the techniques of meditation that will bring us inward to feel this contentment. Being around and surrounding ourselves with other devotees who have had similar problems (and who hasn't?) but support each other is like being in AA. It is needed and the vibrations of those who spiritualize us becomes a nector that we fly to like bees!

Jitendra
 

[weboflife]

Lovely post Steve. To hear of your increasing contentment is indeed encouraging. I'm a relative newbie, entered the path in 2002, sarted with kriya in 2004 and baptism was in 2005. I enjoyed the blissful honeymoon of a couple of years and then the trouble began. I'm hoping you might appreciate what I mean...the restlessness, the dry periods, the where is my will periods...I've pushed through all of this and am currently in a stabilised period with good regularity but few results.

I like your comparison to A.A...another spirtual hive that emphasises effort as being a key to progress. I'm certainly not content with what I am...I'm working on it...but I have desires to be further along this demanding path of ours. Those desires clash with negative habits...but I just read in Divine Romance that if we continue to struggle we are progressing. Well, there's lots of struggle in my life at present so here's hoping...

Jai Guru

[Jitendra Hydonus]

Lovely post Steve. To hear of your increasing contentment is indeed encouraging. I'm a relative newbie, entered the path in 2002, sarted with kriya in 2004 and baptism was in 2005. I enjoyed the blissful honeymoon of a couple of years and then the trouble began. I'm hoping you might appreciate what I mean...the restlessness, the dry periods, the where is my will periods...I've pushed through all of this and am currently in a stabilised period with good regularity but few results.

I like your comparison to A.A...another spiritual hive with emphases and effort as being a key to progress. I'm certainly not content with what I am...I'm working on it...but I have desires to be further along this demanding path of ours. Those desires clash with negative habits...but I just read in Divine Romance that if we continue to struggle we are progressing. Well, there's lots of struggle in my life at present so here's hoping...

Jai Guru

Ja Ma

Doesn't God give most of us a come on when we get started on the path? Than we go thru periods of spiritual trials and self development that are very hard to fathom by the mind/ego and it's limited capabilities of tolerance. i have put a lot of self reflection on this topic. Just last nite i had a long meditation that the ego and senses resisted. But my spirit gets weary of all the sobbing. The soul soldiers have come to battle with all this self pity.

What i have noticed is that my attitudes have gone thru a metamorphosis over the years. If we find ourselves slowly liberated from desire we are making progress. You are able to see the problem. When we start seeing the problem than we start realizing how the problem is upsetting our lives. When this happens we look for solutions. Slow by slow we pull these rotten teeth out of our consciousness.

 i see results in some very different guises these days. One of the most important ones is that i see a very significant change in my environment. Many of the old die hard habits were associated with people who were in my life. Many of these people have fallen out of my life. It seems as though i have entered a school of higher learning. The halls are filled with saints friends and aquaintances who are moving closer and closer to the lite.

i rejoice in the fact that i have new friends like you, dear brother, another soul soldier who understands the plight we have taken on during this life and perahaps others; Nothing shorter than enlightenment is our goal and freedom from delusion and maya. We/i must remember that we/i have fought many wars in my/our past incarnations. Sometimes we have tasted the intoxicating taste of sweet victory which has taught us we can overcome and other times defeat which has brought the bitter sweet lesson of compassion and understanding. Now we see where the battle really has it's source~All this drama has been created and manifested by our own consciousness for the stage of liberation to take place. We can be heroes. But it is a fallacy to think we can do it on our own. There are too many villains who will disrupt our understanding and peace. We have our friends, saints and the Master's to help us and our own soul calling for liberation and freedom.

Jitendra

[blue nova]

Those desires clash with negative habits...but I just read in Divine Romance that if we continue to struggle we are progressing. Well, there's lots of struggle in my life at present so here's hoping...

dearest Weboflife,

i understand totally where u are coming from. 

effort. 

when a parent sees that a 'naughty child' is putting effort forth...as steve says...God gives us a 'come on'....   God sees our efforts....God sees that adam or eve is putting effort forth.....and not being 'lazy-effortless child'....God will Reach even harder ! 

sincere. sincerity.

when we have this in our hearts while seeking God....all the more He will Reach for us....

the more we try to remove ourselves from struggle/suffering....all the more He/She will help us pull ourselves out of this 'mire'...

sending Love & (((Hugs)))

[Jitendra Hydonus]

Lovely post Steve. To hear of your increasing contentment is indeed encouraging. I'm a relative newbie, entered the path in 2002, sarted with kriya in 2004 and baptism was in 2005. I enjoyed the blissful honeymoon of a couple of years and then the trouble began. I'm hoping you might appreciate what I mean...the restlessness, the dry periods, the where is my will periods...I've pushed through all of this and am currently in a stabilised period with good regularity but few results.

I like your comparison to A.A...another spirtual hive that emphasises effort as being a key to progress. I'm certainly not content with what I am...I'm working on it...but I have desires to be further along this demanding path of ours. Those desires clash with negative habits...but I just read in Divine Romance that if we continue to struggle we are progressing. Well, there's lots of struggle in my life at present so here's hoping...

Jai Guru

i have found that gravitating to the highest souls i can be around helps my spiritual evolution and understanding. And of course we need to learn to laugh at ourselves and Life's irony.

[weboflife]

I think there's a lot to be said for being in the presence of higher souls. Here in Australia we miss out on the contact with the monastics (they visit every 2 years or so) but there are quite a few meditation groups.

Laughing at the cruel bitterness of life can be an advantage if done in the right spirit...one of surrender. Sometimes you just have to trust that She knows best and accept whatever medicine She serves up. The more you protest the more bitter it seems to taste. Acceptance in a spirit of surrender can be like 'a spoon full of sugar to help the medicine go down'. Mary Poppins always knows best!

[Katze]

Such a delight,  where is Mary Poppins when you need her ?